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Desiree Hemphill

Desiree Hemphill is a skilled family law litigator who prides herself on helping her client’s through the most difficult times in their lives. Prior to joining Cruz Arevalo, P.C., Desiree primarily practiced in Denton and Collin County representing clients in various family law matters.

Desiree received her Bachelor of Public Administration and Master of Legal Studies from Texas State University-San Marcos. She went on to receive her Doctor of Jurisprudence, Cum Laude from Texas Tech University School of Law in May of 2018. Desiree grew up in Coppell, Texas, and moved back to the Dallas-Fort Worth area after law school to pursue a career in Family Law. Desiree married her husband in August of 2019, and the pair shares three young daughters.

Prior to attending law school, Desiree found her passion for helping people with their family law issues while working as a Family Law and Estate Planning paralegal in San Marcos and earning her Masters in Legal Studies.

In her third year of law school, Desiree was selected to be one of eight Student Attorneys in the Texas Tech School of Law Family Law and Housing Clinic. During her time as a Student Attorney, Desiree fostered her passion for family law by representing indigent clients in Lubbock County, Texas, who were at risk of losing their homes due to eviction, and victims of domestic violence desperately in need of representation in a divorce, and other Family Law issues.

Desiree has a genuine passion for the practice of family law and has been described as “responsive,” “attentive,” and “tenacious.” Desiree works tirelessly to provide her clients with comfort and peace of mind that she is on their side during the most difficult times in their lives.

Desiree is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Denton County Bar Association, and the Family Law Section of the Denton County Bar Association. When not at the office, Desiree enjoys spending time with her friends and family, reading, swimming, and crafting.

Malika Fields-Harris

Malika V. Fields-Harris is an Associate in Burns White’s Pittsburgh office. Ms. Fields-Harris focuses her practice on Healthcare and Long-Term Care law, defending doctors, hospitals, and long-term care health facilities in medical malpractice and liability matters.

Prior to joining Burns White, Ms. Fields-Harris was an attorney at a Pittsburgh firm where she represented clients in civil litigation and served as a legal advisor for business owners, nonprofits and civic partnerships related to operational growth and risk mitigation. She also served in the United States Air Force Reserve as an Air Transportation HAZMAT Joint Inspector, Staff Sergeant. 

Ms. Fields-Harris received her Juris Doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law with a concentration in Real Estate, Energy and Environmental Law. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, with a minor in Spanish, magna cum laude, from Slippery Rock University.

Ms. Fields-Harris is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Education

 Bar and Court Admissions

 Memberships

Katia Wilson

Attorney Katia L. Wilson is dedicated to serving her clients and community, driven by an unwavering commitment to justice. Her journey into law was inspired by a passion for serving others, which propels her to provide exceptional representation to her clients. Specializing in Criminal Law and Personal Injury cases, Ms. Wilson’s trial-tested expertise shines, alongside her proven track record of securing favorable outcomes.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, and a distinguished three-time graduate of Florida A&M University, Ms. Wilson earned her J.D. from FAMU College of Law in 2015. In 2021, she established her own practice—a pivotal step in her career following considerable field experience, including serving as lead counsel in a victorious 2nd Degree Murder trial. Based in Orlando, Florida, her practice proudly serves Central Florida and surrounding areas while taking on select, serious criminal cases in North Florida.

Driven by empathy and a passion for service, Ms. Wilson understands that every client and situation is unique and should be treated as such. She is a dedicated advocate for her clients, providing representation tailored to each individual and zealously defending their rights. Relatable, reliable, and resilient—these are the qualities that define Ms. Wilson’s practice, ensuring that every client receives the dedicated representation they deserve.

Angelique Ball

Angelique Ball assists fellow attorneys in substantive legal research across various industries within commercial litigation. As a judicial intern and research assistant, Angelique strengthened her legal writing skills while also familiarizing herself with different areas of the law, such as antitrust and fair competition, labor and employment, and constitutional issues. During her judicial internship, she drafted a research memorandum to assist the court in deciding whether to grant a petition to rehear en banc.

While in law school, Angelique represented clients in the Criminal Justice Clinic. In this role, she developed negotiating skills to seek the best outcomes for her clients and a better ability to explain legal jargon to laypersons. She also interned at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) in the Division of Enforcement, where she assisted in ongoing investigations by conducting research and drafting a memorandum regarding potential violations of the anti-fraud provision, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Education

Bar Admissions

Japera Parker

Japera Parker is a member of Bailey Glasser’s national Corporate Practice Group where her practice focuses on a range of complex business transactions including serving as outside counsel to early-stage companies, working closely with founding teams to guide them through initial company formation considerations, day-to-day business and scaling matters, corporate governance best practices, securities laws, and financings.

Japera is deeply committed to her community, focusing on creating opportunities for female and underrepresented founders to gain access to essential capital and quality legal guidance. She also offers valuable support to founders navigating early-stage intellectual property concerns, ensuring they understand how to safeguard their innovations and businesses. During law school she became an entrepreneur for three early-stage companies in the areas of real estate and fashion.

Japera is a graduate of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, graduating cum laude with certifications in both business law and intellectual property law. Her prior legal experience includes positions at major technology companies and top technology/life science law firms.

She also has a master’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Johns Hopkins University and taught middle and high school English in Baltimore City, Maryland and Hartford, Connecticut before becoming a school director and teacher coach.

Practice Areas

Education

Admissions